The voices of girls, mainly aged between nine and 17, in the new issue of Stylist magazine, out 19 March, paint a bleak picture of what it’s like to be a girl in the UK today. 

In a bid to understand how the next generation of women are growing up in 2025, Stylist spent eight weeks travelling up and down the country speaking to girls in cities including Newcastle, Swansea and London. Their testimonies reveal a world where self-censorship is the norm, harassment is expected and safety is never guaranteed.

It’s easy to feel hopeless in the face of such a grim reality, but it’s vital we engage with what girls are going through in order to help them. The first step towards change is listening to stories like the ones spotlighted in this month’s issue of Stylist. The next steps involve the actions below, which include mentorship and starting open-minded conversations…

Milk Honey Bees is a safe space for Black girls, offering mentorship and support for young women with one-to-one sessions and creative group projects. Founder Ebinehita Iyere and her team help the young women they work with to gain social, employment and life skills that enable them to mobilise in their communities while helping them heal from difficult experiences. To help Milk Honey Bees continue its vital work, consider donating to fund resources, workshops and work experience.

The Girls’ Network also provides mentoring. It connects girls from the UK’s least advantaged communities with professional women, so that they foster mentorships that can help girls achieve their potential. If you can spare an hour a month, consider signing up.

Ellie Softley from the charity Everyone’s Invited suggests using social media as a way to discuss the pressures young people face. “Leaning into it can help you challenge the messages they’re absorbing,” she says. To start, say, “Let’s go through your For You page together.”

For parents of, or those close to, a young person who may want to talk about sexism or sexual harassment, listen carefully, ask open questions and provide a safe space for them to open up. Affirm that what they’ve experienced isn’t their fault and contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 if you need expert advice.

Charities such as Girls Friendly Society, Beyond Equality and Everyone’s Invited, and support organisation Milk Honey Bees, provide education and support to young people in the UK while Glitch campaigns for tech companies and the government to protect women and girls from digital abuse. Donate to or follow them on social media to help their work continue.

Main image: Getty

Cover image (posed by model): Photography: @rachellouisebrownstudio⁠; Model: @bruceandbrown; Location: @jjlocations_